> What is even stranger is that we were already at 50/50.>> English, Social Studies, Math, Science.>> Bob Hansen>>Social Science has a lot of math in it, especially statistics.

In 'my' curriculum it's more like Geometry + Geography where the latter hasall the National Geographic type stuff i.e. anthropology.

The standards committees are mostly busy work for people who need some kindof income based on what little they learned in school (not a whole lot inmost cases). We must indulge our fellow Americans in their busy workbecause that's a way to stay self respecting, to don business dress andpilot an automobile to a place called an office.

In terms of reading or caring about their reports... like I said, many jobsin Washington (the district) depend on remaining fluent in the bureaucraticlit of the day. It's a large city with a high cost of living and licenseto dangle money over our heads, make us jump like fish (right into theirnets).

I'm not going to begrudge all these people "churning a living", but neitheram I going to advise young children to put Uncle Sam high on their list,when it comes to telling them what tests to take, what media to consume, orwhat to do with their lives in general. Uncle Sam is not a good rolemodel.

On the other hand, we learn from his mistakes as a kind of bumbling buffoon(American Dad, Family Guy...). We learn how we ourselves, the people,might govern more wisely and democratically, as our heritage speaks to usand reminds us of our higher purposes.

We don't need those standards committees to tell us our central business orresponsibilities. They should mind their own business. DC needs to learnhow to be a better neighbor. Sometimes looking at all those Roman lookingbuildings every day goes to their heads and they think they're the hub of agreat empire, the big boss town or something equally stupid. Pshaw to allthat.